Gates has made improvements to its ST, CDN, CDC and CDX lines of carbon belt drive. This includes the arrival of a new belt designed specifically for mid-drive e-bikes.

Belt drives promise lower maintenance and greater durability compared to a conventional chain. While there are now several manufacturers of such products, Gates remains the highest profile.

The firm recently announced new, improved components across its four key product lines.

Chief marketing officer Tom Pitstick commented: “Bicycle – especially e-bike – demand is rising rapidly across the globe, and our latest innovations extend our coverage to an even wider range of applications.

“By adding all-new and significantly upgraded products to our Carbon Drive product lines, we’re enabling manufacturers to continue advancing the state-of-the-art and empower cyclists of all kinds with clean, quiet, long-lasting belt drives.”

Gates' premium CDX line – which is geared towards long distances in “extreme” settings – gains a new CDX:BLACK sprocket line. This is intended for high-torque applications, including use on geared mid-motor e-bikes.

The more everyday CDC line, meanwhile, gains a completely new belt designed specifically for mid-drive e-bikes. This features engineered carbon-fibre tensile cord, high-stiffness ethylene elastomer materials and nylon tooth fabric. This combination is said to result in the usual belt drive benefits of cleaner, quieter, more convenient operation with two to three times the lifespan of a traditional chain drive.

Gates’ CDN system for urban/city bikes and hub-drive e-bikes also gets an upgraded belt and a new rear sprocket set, while the entry-level Sidetrack system has been upgraded with next generation ethylene elastomer and carbon cord technology.